


Flawless

by coreopsis



Category: Hornblower (TV), Hornblower - C. S. Forester
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-09-08
Updated: 2004-09-08
Packaged: 2017-10-18 00:18:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/182904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coreopsis/pseuds/coreopsis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In Loyalty, Hornblower tells Major Cotard that he has shared a berth with Lt. Bush and says it was an honor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Flawless

Whenever Bush unrolls his 'housewife' and gets out his toilet articles, Hornblower stops concentrating on whatever he's doing and watches. Sharing a berth onboard ship means giving your mate privacy when it's possible and if he asks. Bush never asks, so Hornblower continues lying on his cot, a worn copy of the Gazette held conveniently at his middle. He lowers the paper and watches through half-closed eyes as Bush strips off his shirt and assumes a familiar stance, his feet planted and one hip cocked to balance against the movement of the ship.

Hornblower turns a page--making noise to show how consumed he is with his reading -- as Bush works up a lather with his shaving brush and covers his cheeks and chin and--oh, his neck-- with creamy white foam. Hornblower swallows hard and has to forcibly loosen his grip on the Gazette before he rips the pages. When Bush lays down his brush and picks up his razor, Hornblower thinks that maybe he should have given Bush-- _William_ \--his privacy after all. His enjoyment of watching a superior officer shave is surely indecent and he should stop it at once. He should get a grip on himself.

He barely suppresses a groan at his unfortunate choice of words and has to cover the sound with an inane comment about one of the letters he's supposedly reading. He's read them all so many times that he has them practically memorized so it's not too hard to call up something to say.

After several seconds, Bush glances over his shoulder, a patch of freshly shaven cheek taunting Hornblower with its smoothness in the midst of foam and bristles. Bush's mouth is moving but Hornblower has no idea what he's saying, too distracted by thoughts that are improper in the extreme. Thoughts that could get him killed. But tempting thoughts, nevertheless, fantasies, one might go so far as to call them, of crossing the small space between them and touching that smooth patch of skin. Brushing his fingers down the curve of Bush's spine, the broad plane of his bare back, the ropey muscles of his arms, the taut curve of his lean-- but no. He mustn't think things like that. He must not give in to the perversions that plague him.

Hornblower looks back down at the gazette, overset with a familiar melancholy and a strange sense of loneliness. He longs to say something to break the unbearable silence but he knows of nothing to say, nothing that wouldn't sound false and awkward. He stares at the pages before him until his eyes water and he remembers to blink. When he hears the swish-swish of Bush restropping his razor, he looks up in time to see Bush starting to wash himself off, water gleaming on skin both flawless and scarred.

Hornblower turns his head away and closes his eyes, counting the minutes until he can go on deck for his watch.

The end.

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the quote in the summary and although this is not a prequel or sequel, it was also inspired by a story called Blemish by ms_nerd, who did a lovely beta job on this.


End file.
